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  4. Brain machine interfaces: powerful tools for clinical treatment and neuroscientific investigations

Brain machine interfaces: powerful tools for clinical treatment and neuroscientific investigations

Neuroscientist, 2019 · DOI: 10.1177/1073858418775355 · Published: April 1, 2019

NeurologyNeurorehabilitation

Simple Explanation

Brain machine interfaces (BMIs) provide a direct link between the brain and a computer, usually to control an external device. BMIs have a wide array of potential clinical applications, ranging from restoring communication to people unable to speak due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or a stroke, to restoring movement to people with paralysis from spinal cord injury or motor neuron disease, to restoring memory to people with cognitive impairment. Because BMIs are controlled directly by the activity of pre-specified neurons or cortical areas, they also provide a powerful paradigm with which to investigate fundamental questions about brain physiology, including neuronal behavior, learning, and the role of oscillations.

Study Duration
Not specified
Participants
Description of studies reviewed
Evidence Level
Review article

Key Findings

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    Intracortical BMIs display the most promise for replacing function, but they also face several barriers to clinical translation, including the development of completely-implantable and wireless devices, power consumption and storage, and signal longevity and stability.
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    BMIs have enabled the confirmation that the primary motor cortex in paralyzed humans is tuned to imagined hand movement kinematics.
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    A biomimetic BMI using MSPs was shown to provide largely stable performance for about 6 months without recalibrating the decoder, while one using LFPs remained stable over a year.

Research Summary

Brain machine interfaces (BMIs) have exploded in popularity in the past decade. BMIs, also called brain computer interfaces, provide a direct link between the brain and a computer, usually to control an external device. This article reviews the clinical and neuroscientific applications of BMIs, with a primary focus on motor BMIs. By providing direct knowledge and control of the neurons controlling a behavior, BMIs represent a powerful way to investigate brain function.

Practical Implications

Restoring Communication

BMIs can restore communication to people with locked-in syndrome or severe paralysis, offering an alternative to conventional assistive devices.

Restoring Limb Function

BMIs can control robotic limbs and functional electrical stimulation (FES) to restore movement in individuals with limb amputations or tetraplegia.

Rehabilitation of Stroke

BMIs can be used to rehabilitate function after stroke by driving plasticity in the brain, potentially improving upper extremity function.

Study Limitations

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